The ocarina is a rather unusual wind instrument that can be built with different shapes and sizes. Regardless of their different appearance, the ocarina and the recorder emit quite similar sounds. You may have come across this tool if you are a fan of Nintendo's "Zelda" game. Regardless of how you got to know the ocarina, remember that it allows you to play each melody in a simple and fun way.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Buying an Ocarina for Beginners
Step 1. Consult online sales sites
As this is not a very popular instrument, you may find it difficult to find it in a music store. With a little research, however, you will be able to find a large number of online retailers, from Amazon to sites specializing in the highest quality ocarinas.
- If you just want to learn how to play this instrument, don't spend a fortune on your first ocarina. A 20-60 euro model is perfect to start with.
- If you later find that you love your new hobby and want to invest in a high-quality tool, know that you could even spend 500 euros.
Step 2. Decide on the hue
Ocarinas are not able to cover a wide range of sounds, unlike other instruments such as the piano, so it is important to choose the pitch you prefer. Starting from the highest to the lowest pitch, you can find soprano, alto, tenor and bass ocarinas.
Remember that the higher the pitch, the smaller the instrument
Step 3. Choose the model that best suits your needs
A four or six hole ocarina is the best to learn, as it is never very expensive, it is light and emits a wide range of notes with few combinations in the positions of the fingers.
- A four-hole instrument emits a basic eight-note scale.
- A six-hole ocarina emits the basic scale plus semitones.
Step 4. Avoid Peruvian and plastic models
The former are beautiful and highly worked, so you may be tempted to purchase one for aesthetic reasons. However they are mostly built of cheap materials and don't sound great. These are decorative objects and not suitable for playing. Plastic ocarinas, although they may appeal to you for the affordable price, are roughly built and are quite out of tune.
Method 2 of 3: Playing a Four-Hole Ocarina
Step 1. Check the user manual
Sometimes ocarinas are sold with a chart or other set of instructions to be able to play them. If this is your case, study the manual carefully to understand which holes you need to cover to issue the specific notes.
If the instructions are not available, follow the general ones described in the next step
Step 2. Label and store the holes
You can produce a wide range of sounds by closing and opening the holes in different combinations, just using your fingers. For this reason, it is useful to create a system of labels with the various combinations.
- Put the embouchure in your mouth as if you wanted to play the instrument and observe the holes from this perspective.
- In your mind, identify the hole in the upper left with the number "1", the one in the upper right with the number "2", the one in the lower left with the "3" and, finally, the one in the lower right with the "4".
- Memorize these positions so you can read the instructions for playing the scales.
- The "X" sign indicates an open hole, so you don't have to cover it with your finger.
- Therefore, the middle C note is represented with the sequence “1 2 3 4”. This means that you have to close all four holes with your index fingers and middle fingers while blowing into the mouthpiece.
- The King, on the other hand, is represented with "1 X 3 4". In this case you have to close all the holes except the number “2”, that is the one in the upper right.
Step 3. Learn the basic scales
At first try to play them slowly and try to memorize the combinations of the finger positions to generate the progression of the notes. Don't worry about the speed of execution for now; your goal is to memorize the scale. Follow this pattern:
- Middle C: 1 2 3 4.
- King: 1 X 3 4.
- Mi: 1 2 3 X.
- Fa: 1 X 3 X.
- F # (Solb): X 2 3 4.
- G: X X 3 4.
- Sol # (Lab): X 2 3 X.
- A: X X 3 X.
- A # (Bb): X X X 4.
- Yes: X 2 X X.
- Do: XXXX.
Step 4. Practice with the stairs
The best thing you can do to become a skilled ocarina player is to practice playing the scales. There are two aspects that you need to focus on during practice: 1) memorize the notes produced by the position of the fingers and 2) the speed. As you master these aspects, you will enjoy the music you play more and more.
- The C scale is: Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si-Do.
- Practice the ascending and descending stairs. This exercise forms the basis of many of the songs you will play.
Step 5. Learn music notation
Everyone knows how notes are written, but being able to decode them into music may be beyond your abilities. While many people take music lessons to learn notation, you can do some research online and find sites that teach you how to read music for free. When you are able to do so, then you can play the melodies of your favorite songs with the ocarina.
You can get the sheet music of the songs you love the most both online and by purchasing music books
Method 3 of 3: Playing an Ocarina with Six Holes
Step 1. Check the instruction manual
Again, it is always best to consult the specific instrument manual if possible, so study the table and check which holes need to be closed to produce the specific notes.
Step 2. Label and store the holes
Just like the four-hole instrument, the only way to successfully play the ocarina is to memorize the positions of the fingers. Even then you have to create a recognition system, only this time you are dealing with six holes instead of four.
- Put the embouchure in your mouth as if you wanted to play and look at the position of the holes from this perspective.
- Mentally identify the hole in the upper left with the number “1”, the one in the upper right with the “2”, the one in the lower left with the “3” and the one in the upper right with the “4”.
- Then imagine the holes in the bottom of the ocarina, which must be closed with your thumbs. The one on the left corresponds to "5" and the one on the right to "6".
- Memorize these positions so you will be able to read the instructions for playing the scales.
- The "X" symbol indicates an open hole, which therefore must not be covered with a finger.
Step 3. Practice the basic stairs
Although the six-hole ocarina has two more holes on the back, the basic system is the same as that valid for the four-hole instrument. The main difference is that to make notes as with the four-hole instrument, you have to close the two holes on the back with your thumbs. Memorize the progression of the scales, starting slowly and focusing on the notes and finger position pattern. Here's how to perform the ladder:
- Middle C: 1 2 3 4 5 6.
- Re: 1 X 3 4 5 6.
- Mi: 1 2 3 X 5 6.
- Fa: 1 X 3 X 5 6.
- F # (Solb): X 2 3 4 5 6.
- Sol: X X 3 4 5 6.
- G # (Lab): X 2 3 X 5 6.
- A: X X 3 X 5 6.
- A # (Bb): X X X 4 5 6.
- Yes: X 2 X X 5 6.
- Do: XXXX 5 6
Step 4. Learn how to use the holes on the bottom
These raise the base notes by a semitone or two. To increase by a semitone, it starts to emit the note normally as in the four-hole instrument, but instead of closing the holes on the bottom as well, leave hole “6” open. To increase the note by two semitones, repeat the same procedure, but open the hole “5” and close the “6”.
- A semitone raises the half-tone note on the chromatic scale, that is: Do → Do #, Lab → A, E → Fa.
- Two semitones raise the note on the chromatic scale by one tone, that is: C → Re, Lab → Sib, E → F #.
- For example, to play C # you would have to put your fingers on holes 1-4 as if to emit a normal C (X X X X) and then raise the note by a semitone closing hole number “5”: X X X X 5 X.
- To quickly go from a C to a D without moving all your fingers, you can start with a C (X X X X 5 6) and then raise the note by two semitones by covering the hole “6”: X X X X X 6.
- This step is much easier than moving your fingers from the X X X X 5 6 configuration to the 1 X 3 4 5 6 configuration.
Step 5. Practice with the stairs
The best thing you can do to become a good ocarina player is to practice ascending and descending scales. There are two aspects you need to focus on during practice: 1) memorizing the notes produced by the position of the fingers and 2) the velocity. As you master these aspects, you will enjoy the music you play more and more.
- The C scale is: Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si-Do.
- Practice the ascending and descending stairs. This exercise forms the basis of many of the songs you will play.
Step 6. Learn music notation
Everyone knows how notes are written, but being able to decode them into music may be beyond your abilities. While many people take music lessons to learn notation, you can do some research online and find sites that teach you how to read music for free. When you are able to do so, then you can play the melodies of your favorite songs with the ocarina.
You can get the sheet music of the songs you love the most both online and by purchasing music books
Advice
- To learn how to play the instrument, try using tablature or tablature. These are schematic images that teach you which holes to cover to play a song.
- Try to keep the ocarina at room temperature. Conditions of excessive heat or intense cold can change its hue and even break plastic or wood.
- Clean the inside of the mouthpiece when you have finished playing. To do this, take a small strip of newspaper and fold it on itself until it is still thin enough to enter the opening. At this point, let it absorb the excess moisture.
- Emit each note by pronouncing the sound "tu" or "du" at the beginning of each of them.
- Don't blow too hard! Most beginner ocarinas don't allow this, but if you do, the sound will be awful!
- From time to time, clean the outside of the ocarina with a soft cloth or a duvet to keep it shiny. Wooden instruments can be polished with a specific product if wear begins to be noticed.
- Practice makes perfect; even if you think you can't, keep practicing and it will soon become easy! Don't get frustrated, however, if you run into big difficulties, take a break for a week and then start playing again.
- If you are buying an ocarina to play, don't buy a Peruvian one. These have the words "Handmade in Peru" on the back and in most cases they are not in tune. The front of these tools is often decorated with drawings and the quality of the clay is rather poor; all this discourages many beginners as soon as they hear the sound they can make. However, these are beautiful ocarinas to collect.
- Start slowly, you will have more fun and it will be easier to delve into the fundamentals of this tool. Do not be in a hurry to learn quickly.
- To play higher notes, tilt your head so you'll get a better sound.
